German Center for Infection Research planned

German Center for Infection Research (DZIF) planned

20/04/2011

The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) has received a final recommendation from an independent panel of experts on the establishment of the German Center for Infection Research (DZIF) in Braunschweig. In future, the DZIF will develop new therapeutic approaches, vaccines, vaccination procedures and medicines for various pathogens.

Universities, clinics and research centers from seven locations across Germany will work together in the German Center for Infection Research to develop new strategies to combat infectious diseases. The DZIF will have its headquarters according to the previous plans at the Helmholtz Center for Infection Research (HZI) in Braunschweig.

German Center for Infection Research starts autumn 2011
As early as the end of 2010, an independent panel of experts had selected Germany's most powerful institutions for the establishment of the German Center for Infection Research. Now the assessment of the overall scientific concept has been completed and a recommendation to the Federal Ministry of Education and Research has been issued to start building the DZIF immediately. The exact organization of the DZIF and the research priorities will be substantiated in the coming months so that the DZIF can probably begin its research work in autumn 2011.

Development of new drugs and treatment approaches
Although the exact contents of the research work of the DZIF are still being worked out, the scientific director of the HZI in Brunswick, Prof. Dirk Heinz, explained in advance that „the development of new anti-infective agents (...) will be a central topic of future research efforts“ becomes. Because „More and more pathogens are becoming resistant to conventional antibiotics, so urgently „new substances and strategies“necessary to tackle the multidrug-resistant pathogens, said Prof. Heinz. In recent years, pathogens that are resistant to all common antibiotics have become increasingly common. In particular, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) - multidrug-resistant bacteria of the genus Staphylococci - are causing considerable problems in hospitals and nursing homes, with sometimes fatal consequences for the patients. But also the so-called super germ NDM-1 (New Delhi Metallo-Beta-Lactamase) caused a stir at the end of last year, many physicians, because this apparently passes on its inherited resistance to other bacterial strains. By exchanging parts of the genome with other bacteria, antibiotic resistance could be transferred relatively easily between bacterial strains, according to medical researchers worldwide after the discovery of the new pathogen.

Research network of the German Center for Infection Research
However, the German Center for Infection Research will in future not only devote itself to researching dangerous pathogens, but will also develop new treatment approaches and active ingredients. All in all, the scientific director of the Helmholtz Center for Infection Research, Professor Dirk Heinz, has been very positive about the decision to set up the DZIF. „This is a great success for us and the entire research region“, emphasized Prof. Heinz. For him, an important goal of the research network is also the improved translation, ie an optimization of the transfer of insights and innovations from basic research into clinical practice. In addition to the HZI in Braunschweig, the Hannover Medical School (MHH), the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover (TiHo), the Technical University of Braunschweig, the Twincore Center for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research and the German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures (DSMZ) are involved. (Fp)

Also read:
Hospital germs: Staphylococci prefer blood
The new super germ NDM-1
WHO warns of antibiotic resistance
Doctors prescribe too many antibiotics

Picture: Gerd Altmann, Pixelio.de (picture shows staphylococci as a fake)